Electrical apparatus



May 20, 1969 H. E. JOHNSTON ET Al. 3,445,803

ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Filed Dec. 28, 1966 United States Patent O 3,445,803 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Henry E. `Iohnston, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., and Robert C. Simmons, Pennsauken, NJ., assignors to Philco- Ford Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 605,467 Int. Cl. Hk 1/18; H01r 7/16' U-S. Cl. 339-17 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An antenna connector terminal adapted to be mounted on a radio receivers printed circuit board, and to be dip soldered directly to a printed conductor on said board. A portion of the terminal extends through an aperture in the receivers back panel and is provided with a conventional screw fastener for making connection to an antenna lead-in.

Background of the invention This invention relates to electrical apparatus, and more particularly to improvements in electrical terminal means for printed circuit boards.

In the construction of radio receivers, it is a common practice to make the connection between an antenna and a printed wiring circuit through a terminal afxed to the back panel of cabinet structure housing the receiver. From this terminal there extends a conductor soldered, or otherwise connected, to the printed circuit. Connection to the antenna itself is usually accomplished by screw means threaded into the terminal and securing (the antenna lead-in. 'Such arrangements have proven costly and diicult to assemble due to the need for providing lengths of wire, and terminals therefor, to accommodate attachment and removal of the back panel during both assembly and servicing of the receiver.

The present invention provides improved terminal means for a printed circuitboard eliminating certain of the aforementioned connector elements. The construction of this improved terminal means facilitates its assembly with a printed circuit board.

Summary of the invention In achievement of the foregoing and other objectives, the invention contemplates provision of a unitary antenna connector terminal adapted to be mounted on the printed circuit panel of a radio receiver, and to be soldered directly to a printed conductor thereon, for example during a dip soldering operation. A projecting portion of the terminal extends through an aperture in the receivers back panel and is provided with conventional screw fastener means for making connection to an antenna or antenna lead-in.

Advantageously, the unitary, panel-mounted connector terminal of the present invention eliminates the separate screw fastener which is conventionally mounted on the back panel and which must be connected to the printed circuit board by way of a separate, insulated conductor.

Brief description of the drawing The manner in which the foregoing and other objectives and advantages of the invention may best be achieved will be more clearly understood from a consideration of the following description, taken in light of the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of terminal means embodying constructional features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view, partly in section Mice and with parts broken away, of electronic receiver cabinet structure incorporating the terminal means shown in FIGURE 1, and illustrating additional constructional features of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a view of apparatus shown in FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of arrows 3 3 applied to FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, and illustrating a modified embodiment of the invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a view of apparatus shown in FIGURE 4, as seen looking in the direction of arrows 5-5 applied thereto.

Description of the preferred embodiment With more particular reference to the drawing, and first to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, electronic receiver cabinet structure designated generally by the numeral 10 includes lug means 11 positioned on side walls 12 and supporting a printed circuit board 13. The printed circuit includes a number of conductive strips, one of which is seen at 14, extending across the bottom of board 13. A terminal 16 for antenna lead-in 17 is both electrically and mechanically connected by solder 15 to strip 14. It will of course be understood that other receiver components and conductive strips are associated with board 13, and that a pair of terminals 16 may be used depending upon the type of antenna provided for the receiver illustrated by way of example. However no description of such additional components, strips, and terminals need be undertaken for an understanding of this invention. Cabinet structure 10 further includes a rear cover 21 attached by screws 22, according to conventional practice. Cover 21 includes an opening 23 through which a threaded portion 24 of terminal 16 is presented for attachment thereto of lead-in 17 by screw 18.

Terminal 16 further includes a pair of elongate, relatively flat parallel prong portions 25 interconnected by the aforementioned threaded portion 24 extending transversely of the prong portions, portion `24 being also relatively at and positioned in substantially coplanar relationship with the cover 21. Preferably each of prong portions 25 is disposed in a vertical plane, and includes a horizontally extending intermediate section from which depends a generally hook-shaped section 26 and an abutment section 27. Each of sections 26 is disposed in frictional engagement with panel portions adjacent one of a pair of like apertures 31 provided in circuit board 13. Retention in apertures 31 is such that each section 26 abuttingly engages a printed circuit strip, such as strip 14, and is solder-connected, permanenlty retaining the terminal, Each section 27 abuttingly engages the upper, insulative portion of board 13. Frictional retention of the terminal is aided, especially prior to and during a soldering operation, by the inherent resilience of prong portions 25 tending to urge hook-shaped sections laterally into frictional engagement with opposed sides of apertures 31.

It will be appreciated that the disclosed cantilever support of terminal 16 well away from the edge of the board lfacilitates movement thereof along conveyor means by which board is presented for handling by automatic machinery. Also the manner of support of terminal 16 makes possible presentation of the threaded portion of the terminal directly into panel opening 23, without need for intermediate connecting elements. In effect, the antenna lead-in is connected directly to the antenna circuit on the circuit board.

Description of the modified embodiment A modied embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5, and compries a terminal 40 provided with: a bent end portion 41 extending through opening 131 in circuit board 113; an opposite threaded end portion 42 in aperture 123 of cabinet back panel 121; and an intermediate portion 43 extending across the upper insulative portion of board 113. A pair of tabs 44 are downturned from intermediate portion 43 and engage the edge of the board. An antenna lead-in 117 is attached to threaded end portion 42 by a screw 118, and end portion 41 is connected by solder 115 to circuit .114. Bent portion 41 and tabs 44 are cooperatively disposed with respect to board 113 to enhance rigidity of terminal 40 both prior to and after solder attachment of the terminal to the board. The above described elements are housed in a cabinet 110, attachment of panel 121 being effected by screws 122, and board 113 being supported by lug means 111 on cabinet side walls 112.

It will be appreciated that the invention affords an economical antenna terminal design that eliminates costly wiring and accommodates attachment of the terminal by either dip or hand soldering techniques.

We claim:

1. In combination, generally rectangular cabinet structure including a pair of planar Walls intersecting at a substantially right angle, one of said walls having an opening, a circuit carrying panel supported in spaced confronting adjacency to an interior surface of the other of said Walls and having aperture, means adjacent a circuit element thereon, a terminal device providing for electrical connection to said circuit element, and cornprising: a generally U-shaped member of electrically conductive material having free ends of leg portions thereof extending into said panel aperture means for solder connection with said circuit element, the intermediate leg portions of said member extending over an insulative surface of said panel, and electrical connector means carried by the looped end portion of the `generally U-shaped member and disposed in registry with said opening in said one wall.

2. The combination according to claim 1, and further characterized in that said terminal device is flexible and resilient, and the free end portions thereof are resiliently urged away from one another and into abutting engagement with confronting portions of the Walls that define said aperture means therein.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,747,169 5/1956 Johanson 339-258 2,965,874 12/1960 Modrey 339-17 XR 3,346,863 10/1967 Sebold 343-702 3,377,515 4/1968 Ruehlemann etal. 339-17 XR OTHER .REFERENCES T innerman Products, Inc., Flash Bulletin, I an. 15, 1960, 1 page.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

P. A. CLIFFORD, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 339-272 

